"Hi Bill. I’m a long time fan. Fresh One! accompanies me on all my overnight trips. I'm heading out on a 2-day trip later this week from H&M, and some of the reports say that the bluefin are foaming all over, yet VERY finicky. Same with some of the dorado bites.

"Do you have any advice for how to attract them? I'm bringing every rod/reel I own; from 17-pound up to 50-pound gear with plenty of fluorocarbon leader. As far as casting lures go, I've got those Gyro Jigs from Williamson, pili poppers, blue/white, chrome/white, and mint iron, some lead-head swim baits. Any suggestions?" Alan E. (by email August 3, 2009)

Bill’s Answer

Hello, Alan:

Bluefin are a different animal, most of us find. While they have their moments of frenzy when they act like all tuna, most of our contacts with bluefin are encounters with fish that seem finicky, shy, and very wary of approaching the boat. If they’re “foaming” nearby but still not biting, they may be feeding on some bait that’s very unlike what we’re showing them.

There’s not much you can do about that, except to try matching the hatch by showing them something more similar to what they’re interested in eating. So far this year the anglers I’ve talked with tell me they’re fishing lively sardines on fluorocarbon leaders. Many are using circle hooks with rings attached. They get the bait as far from the boat as possible, and sometimes fish from the bow. More than with the other species, patience pays off with bluefin tuna.

Not many fish have come on jigs this season, but that’s not surprising. If you get frustrated fishing bait, it may be worth the trouble to drop a shiny heavy jig down to 200 feet or so, and yoyo it back up to 30 feet before repeating the process. Stay alert for strikes on the sink, and resist the urge to haul back on the rod when you feel anything. Just keep grinding until the hook is set by the tuna when it runs off, as you’d do with a wahoo bite. The yoyo jig color that’s worked best for me is blue and chrome.

There are some schools around this year that are biting well, and anglers who’ve been in those battles are fishing the same way they’d fish any tuna. I sure would advise using fluorocarbon even if they’re biting fast, however. The larger bluefin models have teeth that seem bigger and sharper than other tunas, and the Fluoro not only draws more strikes, it’s better at abrasion resistance. You’ll bring more bluefin to gaff with fluorocarbon leaders.

If you’re seeing fish close that won’t bite, why not try something different? Any tuna feeding at the surface may go for plastics, surface jigs or maybe even poppers, although I can’t remember ever seeing one caught on a popper. But if they’re not biting baits or yoyo jigs, why not try something new?

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